Barcelona ace Luis Suarez says Philippe Coutinho is a very different player to the one he worked with at Liverpool.

Coutinho scored his first goal for Barca in yesterday's rout of Girona.

"When the opportunity came up for me to come to Barcelona, I told Gerrard to look after [Coutinho] when I left," Suarez told Barcelona's official magazine.

"But then he moved to the Galaxy, so Philippe had to take responsibility himself and he put the team on his back.

"It didn't surprise me to see him emerge as a player because I knew the quality he had, but I admire the responsibility he took on at such a young age."

The 31-year-old has noticed a big difference in Coutinho's personaility.

"When he's on the pitch, he transforms," Suarez added. "It may not seem like it, but Philippe is very shy and quiet. He needs to be more confident.

"That said, I've noticed a change between the kid that arrived at Liverpool and the player he's become now. He's still shy, but you can see how much he's matured.

"I am convinced he's going to give us a lot at Barca, as a player and a person. He has a quality which sets him apart [from others]. You could see that on his debut."